I love to speak at events and conferences—it’s fun to enlighten people about how health is not just the absence of disease, and it’s never too late to feel better!

But it’s during the question and answer session after my talk that I get an idea about what’s going on in people’s heads.  Believe me, the questions I get run the gamut—yet they all seem to have a common underlying theme or concern…

What are the most important things I should be doing to stay healthy and live a long life?

Here’s what I have to say about that—first you need to:

Open your eyes as to what our healthcare system is…and isn’t

Sadly, our modern healthcare system focuses on anything BUT creating health and preventing disease.

That’s because the curriculums in most medical schools are pharmaceutical-based.

That means our doctors are not learning how to keep you healthy, prevent sickness or support your body’s natural ability to heal.  Instead they are learning what drugs to give for what conditions...and are taught to poo-poo most other ideas or approaches.

Nutrition? Poppycock! It doesn’t matter what you eat!

Acupuncture or chiropractic treatment? Nothing but quackery!

Supplements? A waste of money.  Take this medication instead.

Sadly, many brilliant minds that entered medical school with a desire to help others are instead coming out as robots for drug companies.

And as far as health goes, forget it.  Disease management is what you’re going to get.

Want real health? It’s up to YOU

When you improve your lifestyle habits and focus your efforts on creating HEALTH, you are naturally decreasing your chances of developing a sickness or disease and lessening your need for medications!

Now, there may be times where medications are necessary, but we have gone WAY overboard and rely too heavily on medications to “create false health” for us.

So if you want to get on the road to a truly healthier you, here are 5 simple yet powerful steps to take:

Step 1: Have a healthy, fiber-rich, easy to digest diet

This is numero uno.

Nothing can ruin your health and destroy your digestion faster and easier than a poor diet.

If you ever want hopes of living life free of disease, you MUST eat real foods that are natural sources of nutrients and fiber, and structure your meals so that they are easier for your body to break down. 

The good news is that eating to encourage great health and optimal digestion is easy and enjoyable...

When you follow my Great Taste No Pain health system, that is.

The Great Taste No Pain plan explains why it's so important to avoid certain meal combinations because they tax your stomach and intestines.  It's logical, based on simple chemistry and will make perfect sense to you.

Then GTNP goes on to show you what GOOD meal combinations are, and how to construct meals that are delicious and a breeze for your system to digest!

And the recipe section gives you tasty ideas for enjoying good-for-you foods—you’ll be pleasantly shocked to see how delicious a healthy diet can be!

Now, if you're gluten-challenged, don't worry--I've got you covered.  Great Taste No Gluten is for you instead:

Great Taste No Gluten gives you the same meal planning advice as Great Taste No Pain, plus guides for living a gluten-free lifestyle and a collection of scrumptious gluten-free recipes. 

Step 2: Supplement as necessary

Very few supplements are needed by everyone.  Our biochemical individuality makes us different so very seldom will two people have the exact same needs.

But there are two supplements that are the exceptions to this rule and are right for just about everyone:

Probiotics and a multi-vitamin

Full-spectrum probiotics like Super Shield are pretty universally helpful because we ALL face challenges to our gut flora balance which can in turn hamper our digestion and impair our immune system functioning—two things that have a major impact on our health from head to toe!

And Super Shield’s well-researched, complete formula is up to these important challenges and more!

As far as multi-vitamins go, it used to be that only people who suspected deficiencies needed to take a multi, but that’s all changed.

Our food is not as nutritious as it used to be, plus factors like stress and medication use can affect your body’s ability to absorb and use nutrients from your foods, so our reality today is that a top-quality multi-vitamin like Super Core is a good idea for just about everyone. 

Plus Super Core has the added benefit of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, so it provides support against disease-causing free radicals and inflammation too!

Step 3: MOVE

There is no getting around it—if you want anything that even resembles health, you must get regular exercise. 

No excuses!  You have the time. 

Ask yourself this question:  What fits into your “busy schedule” better—exercising 1 hour a day or being dead 24 hours a day?

Make it fun—do something you like, and if you don’t like any form of exercise, then at least walk.  Just about everybody can do that.  Be sure to get your doctor’s OK first.

Step 4: Nix soda and processed/fast food

The ONE thing to give up that will make a the most significant difference in your health is SODA.  It is a health abomination of untold proportions, and will singlehandedly guarantee that you will live your days overweight and sick—most likely with Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and/or fatty liver.

Don’t even dare to ask me if diet soda is any better.  Aspartame is as deadly as high fructose corn syrup, so you’re just trading one poison for another. 

And as long as you’re on a roll, try to drastically reduce or eliminate processed and fast foods too.  All they are is a collection of unhealthy fats, sugars, refined carbs and chemicals.  You’re better off eating an old shoe. 

Step 5: Demand alternatives

Remember this: Your doctor works for you—not the other way around.

So if all your doctor wants to do is push medications at you, won’t listen to you or answer your questions, or gets annoyed if you inquire about natural options, it’s time to find another doctor.

There are many wonderful doctors out there who are happy to be your partner in healthcare and find the best possible regimen for you.

Seek out an integrative physician—one who is trained in both traditional and holistic protocols.

Now you are truly on a path to real health—not a lifetime of disease management.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia